When Chelsie Lane first stepped into her role as Marketing and Programming Coordinator at Goodwood Museum & Gardens last May, she felt aligned with the museum’s mission. With 16 structures from two centuries of history, the Goodwood tells its story through exhibits, performances, and educational programming.

Lane feels strongly about preserving the history of the enslaved people who built and worked the land at Goodwood during its days as a plantation, while also creating a space for visitors and families to make new stories together. When she’s not on the job, she can be found amongst the greenery, walking on the historic trails and taking in the gardens.

“I like to walk around and imagine what used to be there,” says Lane. “It’s so well preserved and feels the way it might have felt in the 1800s when it was created. I like to put myself in that atmosphere and enjoy, to be honest, what was not created for people like me. I’m doing things that I wouldn’t have been allowed to do then, like playing ball on the game court behind the main house with my son. It brings a type of feeling over you that’s satisfying, but also very emotional.”

Lane’s resolutions for the coming year involve finding new ways to welcome the Tallahassee community onto Goodwood’s sprawling 21 acres of land. She has been excited to provide such an environment while coordinating the “Wonderful Wednesdays” event, which features games, food trucks and music on the third Wednesday of each month.

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